The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of accessories for use with wheelchairs and more specifically relates to a retractable canopy for a wheelchair that can be opened up to keep the rider dry when it is raining or snowing and a retractable neon-lighted telescoping flag pole to make the wheelchair more visible to motorists.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheelchairs provide a convenient way for those who are unable to walk to get around independently. When someone in a wheelchair is on the sidewalk, crossing the street, or rolling along the side of the street, they are an unexpected hazard for drivers. Careful drivers are watching for pedestrians, bicyclists and other vehicles, and may not notice a person in a wheelchair. Wheelchairs do not usually have lights, making them hard to see at night or when it is raining or snowing. Also, wheelchairs do not usually have overhead coverings to protect the occupants from getting wet when it is raining or snowing.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Pub. Nos. U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,116B1 to Szumlic et al.; US20140313761 to Nelson-Herron et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,479 to Servi. This art is representative of accessories for wheelchairs. None of the above inventions, publications and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a wheel chair accessory should provide added safety and convenience for a person using a wheelchair and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable wheelchair accessory to cover the occupant of a wheelchair during inclement weather and at the same time make the wheelchair more visible to motorists to avoid the above-mentioned problems.